This Woman In Business

This week in the South Whidbey Record they highlighted Women in Business. I was a little sad that I wasn't in there but it was my decision not to participate this year. You see I cut back on advertising so that I could keep my staff through the winter. Some would say that I was cutting off my own nose to spite my face (whatever the heck that really means) but it's the choice I made and people are much more important that advertising.

So since I did not participate in the South Whidbey Women in Business Section this year I'm writing my own article. And it's about this woman in business. Island Angel Chocolates started almost seven years ago in my kitchen. Never in my wildest dreams did I plan on it. I really don't think it could have been planned it but this is exactly how it happened.....

My son Phillip was working at The Langley Village Bakery back when it was owned by Tom and Maria. And Tony, my hubby and I were just having a casual conversation about chocolate. I grew up in Dayton, Ohio and the chocolate that I grew up on is called Esther Price. Each holiday my mom and dad got me a special treat from Esther Price. I loved chocolate then and still do today. And somehow from this casual conversation Phillip thought I wanted to make truffles for the bakery. Jeez! How did he come up with that idea? He was so excited and I just stood there like a deer in headlights. And then I told him that I didn't even know how to spell truffle and I certainly didn't know how to make one. However....

When opportunity knocks for goodness sake OPEN THE DOOR! And so I did....

Tony started surfing the Internet and he found a chocolate supplier in Seattle. And on one quiet afternoon we drove to meet our supplier and pick up our very first chocolate order. I still didn't really know anything about making truffles but the supplier assured me. "It's simple" he said. "It's just one part cream and one part chocolate". Well, it sure sounded simple.

So one weekend while Tony was away at a conference I spent three whole days making truffles for the bakery. There were dark truffles, and almond truffles, and orange truffles. Did I say it took me three whole days? And did I say that I only make 149 truffles? Well, it doesn't take a math whiz to figure out that it would be nearly impossible to make any money on these truffles. However, I proudly delivered them to the bakery. They were excited to have them and I was excited to deliver them. And so Island Angel Chocolates was born.

There's alot more to this story of course but I'll leave it for another time. The moral is when opportunity knocks, open the door and walk into the room. If you like it, stay awhile. If you don't, don't the let the door kick you on the way out.

This woman is in business because she likes making people happy and she likes encouraging people and helping people to realize their own dreams. What is life anyway if it's not to create the dreams that God has placed in our hearts even if it comes to us as a surprise?